Cookies, Cupcakes, and Cardio

U-Bake Perfect Pies Interview

October 18, 2011 by Jenn

I first met Trisha when we ended up beside each other at the Cranbrook Farmers Market this year. She is one of the nicest people ever . . . and a fabulous pie make to boot! This woman does it all . . . butchers her own chickens and pigs, is a mother of two, a wife to a blacksmith, a teacher, a business woman and a wonderfully kind human being!

Trisha’s pie company is call U-Bake Perfect Pies, and what makes her pies unique, is that you take them home frozen, and bake them yourself! We did a little Farmers Market bartering and ended up trading some cupcakes for a Strawberry Rhubarb pie and I can honestly say it was delicious . . . just that perfect tartness that rhubarb lovers crave.

For Thanksgiving, I NEEDED a pumpkin pie from her. I love pumpkin pie . . . it’s my favourite. After the great introduction via her Strawberry Rhubarb pie, I knew pumpkin, made from real pumpkins, that she carves out herself, would be amazing!

Ready to head into the oven.

Interview with Trisha from U-Bake Perfect Pies

Why did you decide to sell frozen pies instead of cooked?

Frozen, unbaked pies are so much more convenient for me to sell. I don’t have to take the extra time and effort to bake them at home, which would seriously inconvenience me, considering the number of pies I sell per week (40-50 on average during the summer). Frozen pies are also incredibly easy to transport. They’re rock solid, so I can stack them in coolers and pack them to the Farmers’ Market with no fuss at all. I also find a “u-bake” pie is a huge hit for customers. It allows them to have some level of “ownership” in the making of the pie. They feel like they’ve had something to do with creating this beautiful dessert! They also have their house filled with that aroma of a fresh-baked pie, which nothing can beat! And some people also have no problem announcing to their guests that they’ve just “baked” a pie – “come on over for dessert!”. I love it!!

How you can get ahold of Trisha to order one of her great pies!

How long does it take you to make one pie, from start to finish?

I do not know how long it takes me to make ONE pie. I don’t think I’ve ever made just one pie. I’m not kidding. I only know how to make seven pies at a time. It’s just the recipe my nana taught my mom, and my mom taught me. It takes me an hour and a half to make seven pies. Keeping in mind, all my fruit is pre-chopped and ready to go (pounds upon pounds of rhubarb, peaches, strawberries, apples, etc, are washed and chopped all in one fell swoop, then frozen for future use). So that hour and a half is just making the pastry, rolling it all out and fitting it into plates, then filling the bottom crust with fruit, sugar, and other secret stuff, then fitting on the top crust.

Baking Instructions and everything you need to know about the product.

How long will one of your frozen pies last?

A frozen pie will last four months in the freezer. That’s just the “official” recommended time. I have lots of customers who buy 5 and 10 pies at a time, then keep them in the freezer to have handy for up to 6 months.

Hot, out of the oven! Mmmm.

What is your favourite pie and why?

My favourite pie changes every few weeks. Seems to be with whatever fruit is in season. At the beginning of the summer, I taste a strawberry rhubarb pie and declare that it is my favourite. Then raspberries come into season, and I try one of those. I then remember from the year before how much I love a good raspberry pie. Then the sour cherries start ripening, and I gotta bake up a tart cherry pie. I love a tart cherry pie. But then at the end of the summer, peaches are in season. I start to remember from last year that peach pies are amazing. So then there’s nothing that beats a peach pie. But if I could only choose one, it would probably be Tart Cherry. Mmmm, you’ve not had a cherry pie unless it’s a tart cherry pie, made with sour cherries, also known as pie cherries. It’s nothing like that canned cherry pie filling you buy in the grocery store…

I. Must. Eat. You. Now.

What makes my pies better than any others?

Hmmm, that’s a tough one. Of course I’m biased and will always think mine are the best. It seems to me that a lot of people have trouble making a light, flaky pastry. I guess that’s what makes them so good. It’s knowing the trick to making a flaky pastry that melts in your mouth. I also love that my pies have real fruit in them that I prepared myself. And actually very little sugar.

What is the best thing about being a pie maker?

The best thing about being a pie maker is just knowing how to make pies!!! It’s such a rare thing to be able to do nowadays. So few people bake anymore, so I like that my craft is a little bit unique. It also connects me to my roots, being that it’s my grandmother’s recipe, and it’s kind of an “old world” thing to do.

What is the worst thing about being a pie maker?

Probably the endless chopping of all the fruit!!

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I want to thank Trisha for taking the time to answer all of my questions about her delicious pies! But mostly, I would like to thank her for creating a pie that is drool inducing! The pumpkin pie was everything that I imagined it was going to be . . . fresh, homemade, and best yet . . . baked by ME! What an empowering idea. Thanks Trisha!

What is YOUR favourite kind of pie?

Filed Under: Holiday Baking, Other Baked Goodies Tagged With: interview, pumpkin pie, U-Bake Perfect Pies

How to Make a Halloween Fondant Knife

October 14, 2011 by Jenn

I am not one to run around wielding knives. I don’t particularly have an attachment to knives. I like them to slice bread, but that’s where my devotion to knives basically stops. Why am I tell you this? Because a viewer of our YouTube videos requested that I show them how to make a fondant knife . . . I’m assuming for Halloween . . . because if it’s not . . . then that’s just weird.

It’s pretty simple actually, so grab your fondant, follow along, and run around wielding knives.

Filed Under: Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: fondant, fondant knife

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

October 12, 2011 by Jenn

It’s that time of year . . . pumpkin, pumpkin, and more pumpkin posts!

I’m definitely not complaining. I LOVE pumpkin.

I love pumpkin in all forms . . . pies, cake, cupcakes, . . . but cookies was one way I had never tried.

When I came across this recipe at Recipe Girl, I was definitely willing to give them a try.

I like snickerdoodles. I like pumpkin. What’s to lose? I was bound to like Pumpkin Snickerdoodles!

Step by Step Photos!

Combine the dry ingredients and mix by hand in a separate bowl.

Combine your butter and sugar, and mix it up in your mixer.

Add the pureed pumpkin and eggs.

And mix until well combined.

Form dough into two flat pancakes, and place in the fridge for at least an hour.

Prepare your rolling mixture! Cinnamon, sugar, ginger and all spice.

At this point, you should be able to “roll” your cookie in the coating, but as I didn’t make round cookies, there was no rolling to be had. I “rubbed” my dough “pieces” around in the sugar.

Place on your non-stick baking mat to cook.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
(originally from dlynz)

COOKIES:

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
3/4 cup pure unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

ROLLING SUGAR:
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice

1. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter until fluffy. Add sugar and pumpkin puree and beat well. Mix in egg and vanilla, scraping down sides of the bowl to incorporate all of the ingredients. Beat flour mixture into liquid mixture a little at a time just until incorporated.

3. Cover dough with plastic and chill for around an hour, or until dough becomes slightly firm.

4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or spray with nonstick spray). Mix rolling sugar ingredients in a small bowl.

5. Remove cookie dough from refrigerator. Use a medium cookie scoop (1 1/2 Tablespoons) or a large spoon to scoop out dough and roll into balls. Use your hands to roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar and make sure they’re coated really well. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

I did not do this next step, and I recommend you don’t make the same mistake as I did . . . DO IT! “Use a glass with a nice, flat bottom to dip in sugar and flatten the balls.”

6. Bake at 350°F. for 10 to 14 minutes, or until they are slightly firm to the touch. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes or so, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Happy Fall and as always, Happy Baking!

Filed Under: Cookies Tagged With: cookies, pumpkin, pumpkin snickerdoodles, snickerdoodles

How to Make a Fondant Pumpkin

October 10, 2011 by Jenn

My newest cupcake that I have been baking is perfectly fitting for the cool evenings and mornings that fall has brought to us . . . pumpkin! I had high hopes of growing my own, but after planting, fertilizing and watering my beloved pumpkin seeds, the season proved to be too short. I have been left buying my pumpkins from the store. Fail.

Oh well, there is always next year! Except our brand new house (yes, we bought a house!) doesn’t have room for much of a garden. BUT, I would love to get a little strip of dirt where I could grow some carrots, beets and peas. I’m good at growing those 🙂 obviously it would have to have a GIANT deer fence.

Since my growing pumpkin test this year was such a failure (they did bloom . . . just not until September!), I have had to create my own pumpkins out of fondant!

They are super quick, easy and most importantly CUTE! Check out the video tutorial on how to do these on our YouTube channel. Hope you like it!

Filed Under: Cupcakes, Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: cupcakes, fondant pumpkin, fondant tutorial, pumpkin

White Wedding Cake

October 3, 2011 by Jenn

This weekend, one of was my biggest challenges as a cake decorator was on my plate. It was a four tiered, white fondant covered, and required piped royal icing designs that were different on each tier!

Some problems that come with working with white fondant . . . it picks up EVERYTHING and everything can be seen on it! Good thing that was Paul’s department ;). With white, there is NO forgiveness when it comes to covering the cake and what is underneath . . . if your fondant is rolled out too thinly, the whole world can see what’s underneath (of course the whole world is looking at my cake). But, the great thing about working with an all white cake, is that when it’s finished, it is stunning!

When planning out this cake, the more and more I thought about it, the more and more I realized how much work it was going to be.

In order to assemble the cake, we built a 14″ round plywood base, that had a support beam screwed into the bottom, with which the cakes would stack onto. This, of course, was Paul’s brilliant idea, as I would have been working with my piddly little dowels I’m sure . . . still fighting with them . . . a day after the cake was due. Thank goodness for him.

Each tier was to be 6″ high (that makes a very TALL cake . . . 24″ . . . who says you never use your times tables?), and to make it even more difficult, each tier was a different flavour of cake, filled with a different filling, and covered with a different buttercream.

The 6″ top tier was a banana cake, filled with chocolate ganache and covered in peanut butter icing. It was then covered in white fondant, and the monogram “W” and vertical dots were piped with white royal icing.

The 8″ second tier was a Guinness chocolate cake, filled with a Whiskey chocolate ganache, and covered with Bailey’s buttercream. It was then covered in white fondant, and I piped triple layered scrolls.

The 10″ third tier was a champagne cake, filled with strawberries and covered with champagne buttercream. It was then covered in white fondant and vertical lines were piped.

The 12″ forth tier was a styrofoam cake dummy, and while we were transporting it, we were sure glad the rest of the cake was on the fake bottom layer! It made it studier than it would have been if the bottom had been made of cake.

Drooling yet? I hope not over the styrofoam layer 😉

I piped the scrolling work by using a template I found, and basically, traced it with a toothpick to sketch the design. Then I moved onto tip number 9, and piped the first layer, then, piped over top of it with tip 4, then lastly tip 2. Each layer added dimension to the design and gave it look very regal I think.

The travelling part of this cake’s journey was quite nerve racking! Every bump, jostle, and pot hole was torture! I had my handy-dandy cake fixing kit, but I really, really, really didn’t want to have to do any emergency repairs. And . . . thankfully, my driver got me to the event in one piece . . . as was the cake.

Joy, oh joy . . . safe!

Filed Under: Cakes Tagged With: tiered cakes, wedding cake, weddings, white wedding cake

Wilton Cake Pan Unboxing Video

September 21, 2011 by Jenn

Here is our video for the Wilton Cake Pan unboxing!

Since the filming of this video, I have definitely enjoyed working with the pans, especially the large cookie sheet (apparently I have only been using medium size my whole life! Lord was I ever missing out).

I also enjoy the 8″ round cake pans, as I’m able to offer a slightly smaller cake for customers.

The rectangle pan (9″x13″) has come in super handy for bars . . . especially my fave . . . peanut butter marshmallow! It’s nice to have an extra pan of this size, as I save my Stoneware one for savoury dishes only now.

Have a look and let me know what you think if you have some of these pans!

Filed Under: Videos Tagged With: unboxing, wilton, wilton pans set

Idlewild Park- Fitness Trail

September 20, 2011 by Jenn

Idlewild Park is an area close to home here in Cranbrook B.C. that I have been going to for years and years. My first memory of this park was as a young child, following my dad and mom around the fitness trail.

A what?

Yes, if you are from Cranbrook, you might not know that there is a fitness trail that weaves around the upper part of the park! Over the years, the signage and structures have taken a bit of a hit, but there is still enough life left in the trail that I thought I would give it a go! We spent a beautiful night exploring around the lake, and putting in a cardio session!

View of Baker Mountain, from the West Entrance

The area that the lake and trail surrounds is beautiful! While we were up there the Osprey’s were circling and diving for the fish over the lake. There were deer in the bushes . . . and a muskrat swimming along the shore! I had never seen a muskrat before, so I was super excited.

Pristine lake and view . . . simple beauty.

The park is even home to a bandstand that hosts a couple of local music festivals and events throughout the year. The bandstand is the red building hiding through the trees . . . you have to look closely.

Ruby with her PUG hair cut! Finally she looks like a real one!

So I know this really talented photographer and he says that it is a great place to get pictures of wildlife in their natural habitat. Like I said, the ospreys were circling over and over the lake, the ducks and Canadian Geese were floating around . . . and a pretty pug was running at our heels.

Talented Photographer that I know.

The scenery itself is reason to get out here and give yourself a workout around the circuit. If I haven’t convinced you of that already, go back up and view the pictures again! And maybe open your eyes this time.

Once you’re up there, you can start at any point, and we chose to start our fitness trail by following the trail up from the main docks on the lake.

Starting Point

So as I said, the signs have seen better days, but some of them are still legible. This one is a lunging station. By placing one foot up on the log, assume a lunging position, and slowly lower your back knee to the ground. Remember to protect your knees, and make sure that you leg that is up on the log is maintaining a 90 degree position. For a challenge, I would attempt the high log, and try it with a deeper lunge.

Next up was Station 14 and this one requires lateral movement activity along the log. On the signage it suggests that you hop back and forth over the log on one foot, you could also increase the level of difficulty in this activity by jumping over top of the log with two feet.

Station 15 is a full body workout, and requires that you start in a squat position, and propel yourself up, onto your hands on top of the rail. To make this more difficult, hold your body at the highest point for a count of 8, then slowly lower yourself back down.

Station 10 was a core workout, and requires that you maintain a strong core, and circle your body around, while hanging from a set of rings.

Station 16 is kind of self explanatory . . . basically get into a push up position, and pull one leg at a time up to your chest. Group Instructors sometimes like to call this “Mountain Climbers”. Torture!

Um, ya . . . this station . . . not so much my forte. I have NO upper body strength . . . and a very heavy lower body! You’re supposed to “travel along the bars”, but um, due to my previous admittance, there wasn’t NO “travelling” happenin’!

Simply hanging . . . thinking . . . "Hurry up and take the picture!"

All in all, this is a great little workout trail. It adds for some variety to the mundaneness that often creeps into one’s gym routine. Being out in the fresh air is always a bonus, and of course, the scenery around this lake is amazing. Again, if you don’t know what I’m talking about . . . go back, AGAIN, and look, with your eyes, at the beauty.

What do YOU do to releave the “boredom” that often creeps into the gym routine?

Happy Cardio-ing!

Filed Under: Cardio Tagged With: Cranbrook, fitness, fitness trail, Idlewild Park

Summer Wedding Cakes

September 4, 2011 by Jenn

Well, unfortunately summer is close to coming to an end 🙁 . . . and it JUST got here! The smell of the school supplies fills the stores, and the sound of the school bells start to ring. That means that as a teacher, I must pack my lunch and get my head back in the game. But first, I must show you how our summer went with the many wedding cakes that we did!

Fondant covered two tiered cake. Branches and blossoms are fondant/gum paste mixture.

Making a wedding cake is actually pretty stressful. It has to be perfect, or you’re going to ruin someone’s very important day. Pressure. Pressure. Pressure.

Buttercream covered three tiered wedding cake, with piped hydgrangea centre tier.

Baking wedding cakes requires planning endlessly for flowers, designs, colours, covering, stacking, tiering, taste, texture and size. Did I forget anything?

Fancy coconut cake top for cutting

It is actually quite an honour to be asked to make someone’s cake for their wedding day. I especially find it touching that people believe in me to make their cake the best one yet!

Piped buttercream roses, with an edible image.

My goal as a cake decorator/baker/cupcake artist has always been to make my cakes taste better than they look!

Cheesecake tier

I think that the days where wedding cakes were looked at and not eaten should be over!! Cake is meant to be eaten, not served, nibbled on and pushed aside.

Buttercream covered two tiered wedding cake. Flowers and ribbon were provided.

Is it too pretty to eat? Well, buy one to look at, and eat the second one. It might be a little damaging to your pocket book, but it sure helps pad mine!

Buttercream covered three tiered wedding cake. Flowers are royal icing and fondant. Ribbon was provided.

Fondant Daisy's for cupcake and cake decorations. Cake is chocolate w raspberry buttercream filling.

And now, this cake decorator by day, turns into cake decorator by night. It’s back to the “real” world and to teacher by day. The last long weekend of the summer is upon us.

Filed Under: Cakes Tagged With: cake, wedding cakes, weddings